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ASIA SINGAPORE DESTINATIONS


RIGHT: Parkroyal on Pickering


FAR RIGHT:


Shangri-La Hotel Singapore


BELOW: Banyan Tree Bintan resort


ASK THE EXPERT


Donna Jeavons, sales & marketing director UK and Europe, Contiki “Southeast Asia is a key holiday destination for young Brits looking for adventure, andSingaporeis the perfect gateway to access the region’s lush landscapes, beaches and bustling cities. It’s a melting pot of culture with a top food market scene, bargain shopping and beautiful urban parks and gardens.”


Andrew Turner, head of industry sales EMEA, Intrepid Travel “Singaporeis a great start or end point to any Asian adventure. Whether it’s the heritage ofChinatown, the traditions of Little India or the modernity of Clarke Quay, the city is a melting pot of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Arabian culture.”


veritable microcosm of Asia’s flora and fauna with gardens home to 130,000 species of plants. At one point, during a wander around the greenhouse-like Garden Wing, I turned a corner to find a koi carp-filled pond. Next to it was an elderly Singaporean man, bent over an easel, who turned out to be the hotel’s resident artist. Guests can take home the watercolours he produces, to bring a little of Singapore’s wild side back with them.


w BINTAN: WILD AT HEART Greener still is Bintan, an Indonesian island close to Singapore - just 50 minutes away via high-speed ferry and making for a pleasant twin-centre holiday. In recent years, several hotels have sprung up on the lush island, and much of the construction is taking place in the centre around a man- made lagoon. Canoes, jet skis, stand- up paddleboards and sail boats can be hired at the water sports centre, and adrenaline junkies can sign up for


The bat came back every evening, always alone, to sway quietly away from the rafters as we enjoyed our sundowners


Jetovator sessions (picture, if you dare, a water-propelled flying bike). While the lagoon area is popular


with families, Bintan’s beach resorts tend to attract couples. Craving some peace and quiet, we headed to the island’s white-sand beaches to check in to Banyan Tree Bintan resort, where 64 villas line a forested hillside overlooking the ocean. When darkness falls, bats flutter


constantly across the sky, and one night, we returned from dinner to find one hanging outside our villa. It came


back every evening, always alone, to sway quietly from the rafters as we enjoyed our sundowners. We named him ‘Bintan Billy’, and when we retired for the night, he flapped his wings in disapproval. I can see why the island’s wildlife has a soft spot for this part of Bintan. Next day, we set out on a guided cycle ride through the jungle – one of many options guests can choose from, alongside birdlife talks, mangrove tours and helping to plant coral. We spotted snakes, monkeys and


a huge, spherical blowfish drifting through the clear waters, while I fell in love with the tiny turtles that wildlife experts were set to release into the ocean. Yet even though he was nowhere in sight when we came to check out, my heart was still with Billy. If only he knew that I’m already counting the days until my next visit to this lush green island and, hopefully, a reunion with Bintan Billy.


14 December 2017 travelweekly.co.uk 57


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